


Trojan Horse on the Horizon

by Okamitaeo



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, No beta reader, We Die Like Men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-12 13:19:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19132828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okamitaeo/pseuds/Okamitaeo
Summary: After the rise of the androids, humans and adroids are having to learn how to live together in harmony. With Detroit on lockdown and no one entering or leaving, many people are on edge around the newly freed androids. With so much discontent, the cops are on high alert, following any order that’s issued.When Connor and Nines are sent out on a direct order from Kamski, they begin to wonder just why the newly reappointed CEO asked for their help.





	1. Chapter 1

Two men walked silently down a darkened corridor, steps almost entirely in sync. The alley smelt of general despair and urine, causing one of them to wrinkle his nose. A light speckling of snow was beginning to coat the cracked concrete, as well as both of the men's hair. 

One was slightly shorter than the other, dressed in a dark button-down, and dark black slacks. His combed hair was perfect, except for a small curl that wound its way down his left temple. 

The other was a good few inches taller, dressed in a similar outfit, but a small, glowing blue triangle on his left breast stood out glaringly in the dark. One look at the two and you would swear they were twins, if not for their eyes. The shorter one had dark, almost gentle eyes, while the taller of the two had cold, analytical gray eyes. The two stopped in front of a steel door at the end of the alley.

Behind the door loud music could be heard, vibrating through their chests with mounting beats. Under the door the two could spot neon lighting bouncing around.

“This is the place?” the shorter one asked, his eyebrows furrowing. The taller one glanced down at him, and then back at the door.

“This is where he instructed us she would be.” He went quiet for a moment, and suddenly the shorter man saw a flash of red across his vision.

_ Eden's Gate _

“Is this like Eden's Club?” he asked again, and the one with the triangle on his breast sighed.

“Please, Connor. I know deviancy has been a rough transition, but remember your skills.” The one named Connor almost appeared abashed, and lifted his head to scan the door. 

“It appears to be more club like than Eden's Club. Many humans enjoy coming here after work for a drink or to relieve stress.” Connor explained, sharing his vision with his taller companion. “But, Nines, you probably shouldn't wear that shirt in there. It will only attract attention.” Connor pointed out. Nines glanced down at his shirt, the little blue triangle illuminating his face.

“It shows who I am though.” Connor sighed.

“We're trying to blend in, and if you wear that shirt she's likely to run.” Nines couldn't argue with his reasoning, as he ran his own scenario through his processing. 

“Then we also need to hide our LEDs.” Nines said, reaching up to his hair to shake it out to hide the light. Connor did the same, reaching up to Nines to adjust his hair even more to hide the glow. Nines repeated the motion on Connor. 

Nines quickly shrugged his outer shirt off, revealing a heather gray undershirt. Connor glanced over at him, and gave him a sly smile.

“You could almost pass for a human now.” Nines gave a contemptuous huff.

“Not likely.” Nines placed a hand on the door, and turned to Connor.

_ “Ready?”  _ He asked, using his link to communicate internally. Connor nodded, and Nines pushed the door open.

The first thing to hit Connor was the smell. While he was used to the smell of alcohol, this simply overpowered him. It took everything in his will-power not to cover his nose with a hand. 

__ _ “This is… Depressing.” _ Connor told Nines. Nines didn’t respond, as he was scanning the room. 

The room was packed pretty tightly, humans and androids alike moving to the beat of the music. The two walked in a little deeper, weaving between the pulsing beats and bodies. Nines wove between two women who were dancing back to back against each other, and one of them gave him a wink.

“Hey there. Haven’t seen you around here before.” She murmured, quickly switching her dancing to him instead of her friend.

_ Stevens, Ashton _

_ Born: 08/19/2015 // Sales Clerk _

_ Criminal Record: Public Intoxication _

“Yes. This is not an establishment I typically find myself in.” Nines replied quickly, twisting his body to move from her advances.

_ “Not them.”  _ Nines quickly told Connor. Connor repeated the scan on her friend, frowning. The woman didn’t appear to be letting up anytime soon though.

“Such class for such a handsome man. Android?” She asked, reaching up to look for an LED. Nines saw a quick flash of red across his vision, and took a harsh step back, backing into another partier. 

“Excuse me ma’am, but we’re here on some important business. I’d like to ask you to leave him be.” Connor interjected, stepping in between Nines and the woman quickly. She flashed Connor an award-winning smile, and looped an arm over her friends shoulder.

“Two of you? Appears to be our lucky day.” Nines glanced over towards the door, spotting one of the security androids leaning casually against the door frame. 

_ “Two women appear to be assaulting innocent club attendees. I request they be removed from the premises at once.”  _ Connor felt Nines open their communication towards the security android, and immediately shut off his communication with Nines to stop the other android from recognizing both of them.

The android looked up, almost shocked to hear another voice inside of his processing. He looked around, and his eyes came to rest on the four of them, noticing Nines standing in a semi-defensive pose. He began to make his way towards them.

“Let’s go. I don’t want to make a scene.” Connor hissed, pulling Nines away from the two women sharply. Connor felt one of the women grab onto his shirt, tugging him back again.

“Oh c’mon, you two came here to have a good time right?” She winked, holding tight to his shirt. Connor felt his stress beginning to rise.

_ Christensen, Emily _

_ Born: 04/05/2020 // Unemployed _

_ Criminal record: False Identification _

“Listen, I know you’re currently underage. Security is making his way over here. I suggest leaving us alone, or you’re going to get caught again.” Connor explained, grabbing onto Nines arm to steady himself. The woman’s eyes went wide, and she immediately removed her arm, turning around to run to the bathroom with her friend. 

The security android paused, and looked to Connor and Nines for confirmation that they were okay. Nines simply nodded, and turned to Connor, holding his hand out for a communication link. Connor quickly grabbed it, establishing a connection again. Nines felt Connor’s stress wash over him, and quickly calmed him.

_ “It is rather difficult in these situations, knowing they are civilians and they mean no ill-will.”  _ Nines looked up towards the second floor, where he noticed four people surrounding another bar.  _ “According to his instructions, she doesn’t come to these places to dance. I believe she will be up there.”  _ Connor glanced up, and nodded.

As the two began to make their way towards the bar, another group of people walked past them, one of the men well past inebriated. As he passed Nines, he was holding a glass half-full of red wine, and stumbled, dumping the wine across the front of Nines shirt.

Nines paused for a moment, glancing down at the dark red stain creeping its way across his chest. The man appeared horrified for a moment, and began quickly apologizing. Nines shook his head, unfazed by the action.

“It’s fine. I have another shirt I can cover that up with later.” The man averted his eyes, and quickly walked away with his group, who began to laugh at him. 

The two androids resumed their walk towards the bar, and scanned the faces of two of the party-goers that walked away from the bar, leaving two young women leaning against it. Nines quickly scanned their faces, and inclined his head towards them.

_ “The one in the gray dress.”  _  He quickly sent Connor her information, and started to walk forward, until Connor placed a hand on his shoulder.

_ “Not so fast. Remember, he told us she’s likely to bolt if she knows we’re androids. Humans wouldn’t just walk up to another human demanding to talk. Let me try something first.”  _

The two young women were deep in conversation, ignoring the pulsing lights and heavy vibrations from the loud music. Their objective was dressed in a short gray dress, which had a tight halter-neck, showing off multiple tattoos on her right arm. Her long legs were covered in sheer stockings, and she had heels on. Her long black hair was down, and Nines could tell it was recently in a braid from the way it curled. Her blue eyes were dim, staring down at an empty glass in front of her. Her makeup was perfect, except for a small line of red lipstick on her chin, which he presumed was from her sipping her drink. 

Her friend was wearing a short dark red dress, with a deep neckline and intricate silver embellishments across the chest. There were delicate jewels inlaid throughout the design, catching his attention. She had a simple black choker across her neck, and had black laced heels on.

As Connor was walking up to the two women, their objective raised her glass towards the bartender, who nodded, and quickly poured her another drink. Nines scanned it, revealing it to be a rather large shot of Patrón. He did another scan of her vitals, and could tell she was dangerously close to alcohol poisoning.

_ “Connor, she-”  _ Before Nines could finish, Connor walked up to the two of them, and leaned casually against the bar. 

“Come here often?” The two women glanced up at him, and the one in the darker dress let out a short bark of laughter.

_ Obenauf, Clarisse _

_ Born: 04/26/2007 // Dancer _

_ Criminal record: None _

“Real smooth. I can tell you don’t come here often.” Their objective rolled her eyes, and downed her shot, causing Nines to flinch, and rush forward. 

_ Young, Remy  _

_ Born: 11/17/2010 // Human Resource Manager _

_ Criminal record: None _

_ “You idiot.” _ Nines snapped. Connor jerked his head to the left, almost like he was slapped. Nines quickly snatched the remaining drink from her hand, and Remy looked like she was personally attacked.

“Ah, I see Mr. Suave has a brother.” She said, raising an eyebrow at him. Nines was slightly surprised. Most humans who had that many drinks tended to have slurred speech and slower reaction times. She narrowed her eyes at him. “C’mon Clarisse. Our party’s been sabotaged.” Remy raised another hand towards the bartender, who quickly slid her another glass. 

Nines reached to snatch that one out of her hand as well, but she was quicker than he thought she would be. She did a small pivot on her heels as she began to walk out, raising her glass to him.

“Tell Kamski thanks, but I don’t need a babysitter.” She turned back around, and Nines felt her friend push past him, waving cheekily at him as she passed him.

_ “What… Just happened?”  _ Connor asked, walking up to stand next to Nines. 

_ “Thanks to your disastrous attempt to introduce yourself, she realized we were androids.”  _ Nines pushed his hair back into place, revealing his LED. He gave a sharp glance towards Connor.  _ “You take care of her friend. Split her up or something, but I need to stop her from drinking that final drink. She is already in dangerous territory.”  _ Nines ran off, weaving delicately through the crowd, chasing after Remy. 

Connor was hot on his heels, following his brothers footsteps easily. The two burst through the door, and Nines reconstructed her routes. If he ran left from the alleyway, it would lead back to her apartment, while right…  _ “Left.” _ Nines told Connor.

_ “I don’t know Nines. I don’t think she would just head home after a night like tonight.” _ Connor replied, a hint of worry creeping into his voice. Nines tapped his foot impatiently, realizing he needed to make a split second decision.

_ “Fine. You go left. I will go right.”  _ Connor nodded, and took off, his footsteps slowly growing quieter as he ran. Nines ran to the right, dodging other club goers as he scanned the crowd. He paused, glancing around angrily as he realized he lost her.

_ “Any luck?”  _ Nines asked, feeling a sense of shame wash over him as he realized he might have just lost his objective.

_ “A little. I found her friend. But she’s not with her. I’ll try to get some information out of her. Sounds like she headed to a little park by the shore of the river called Neon Park. Check there.”  _ Nines ran a quick scenario through his head. She had placed her glass down on a railing to his left, still full.

He started to run towards the park. Luckily, him running right sent him down the right path, and he only had a two minute run towards the park if he wished to catch up to her. She wouldn’t even fully be at the park by the time he caught up with her if his processing was correct.

As he finally saw her, he realized why he couldn’t find her earlier. She was in a dark red coat, her hands tucked into her pockets to keep her digits warm from the bitter cold.

“Remy.” Nines called out, slowing down to a walk. She lifted her head from staring at the ground to look back at him.

“Damn. And here I was hoping I’d managed to get rid of you.” As he walked up to her, her eyes flicked up to his forehead. “I had a feeling you were an android.” She reached up to brush a stray piece of his hair back, revealing his LED even more. 

He jerked back from her touch, and snatched her hand, holding it in place. She gave him a grim smile.

“I don’t bite. Hard.” She tugged her hand from his grip, and continued walking, not bothering to see if he was following. He slowly began following her, unsure of her intentions at this park. She didn’t say anything as she kept walking, her heels digging into the fresh snow. 

She finally came to a stop in front of the river, her shoes inches away from the freezing water. “You can go report back to man bun now. You found me. So now you can leave.” Nines did a quick scan on her, reporting her vitals to Connor.

_ Status: Inebriated _

__ _ Stress: 95% _

_       Probability of attacking: 15% _

“Mr. Kamski has hired us to take care of you for the night. We were instructed to return you to your home, and make sure you return to work the following morning.” He reached a hand out to her. “Judging from your flushed cheeks and slight wobble as you walk, you are most likely dehydrated.” He quickly looked her up and down. “As well as in need of some sustenance. You can take my arm and walk with me, or force me to carry you home.” He gave her a sly smile. “Either will work for me.” 

Remy glanced down at his hand, and then her eyes flicked back up to his.

“I didn’t know they made such brazen androids.” She turned away from him again, folding her arms and looking out over the water. 

_ Status: Inebriated _

_ Stress: 79% _

_ Probability of attacking: 56% _

“Ms. Young, the weather is steadily dropping, and you are not well-dressed for this environment. At this rate you will develop a cold if you are not returned home within the next 30 minutes.” She turned her harsh stare back towards him.

“Maybe that’s what I was planning.” He didn’t reply, but instead left his hand out. Remy looked warily at his hand, and placed her hand in his, mildly surprised at how warm it was.

“Your internal body temperature has dropped to 97.2℉. I have pushed my internal temperature up to keep you warm while we walk.” He quickly closed his hand around hers, and pulled her close, ignoring her cry of protest.

_ Stress: 47% _

_ Probability of attacking: 87% _

“Let me go pretty boy, or I'll scream.” She warned, jerking away from his touch. He loosened his grip on her, letting her shimmy away from him. He watched her for a moment.

“Your stress level has gone down considerably. But your probability of attacking me has increased ten-fold. Do you believe you could outrun me, or even win in a fight against me?” He asked, allowing a bit of amusement creep into his voice. 

She stared at him, and let out a quiet huff.

“Not even close. I know what kind of android you are.” She began walking again, heading in the same direction they came from. Snow was beginning to collect in her hair, giving it a slight sheen.”I sure hope you sent your friend to walk my friend home. Normally she spends the night at my house after some heavy drinking, but you ruined that for me tonight.” 

Nines detected a slight hitch in her voice, alerting him she was lying about something. He watched her as she slowly made her way home, feet dragging in the fresh snow.

_ “She appears to be stable, but I will make sure she arrives home safe. She wishes for you to walk her friend home.”  _ Nines told Connor, quickly sending him an update. 

Connor was slow to reply.  _ “Of course. Do you wish for me to meet you at her apartment?”  _ Nines preconstructed the scenarios in his head, testing which would make her less agitated towards he and Connor.  _ “I’ll just meet you at work tomorrow.”  _ Connor answered, running his own test. Nines smiled softly at that.

_ “Tell Hank I said hello.”  _ Nines said, shutting off his contact from Connor for the night. He returned his attention back towards Remy, who had paused in her walking to look at him.

“Sorry. I was simply reporting to my brother to make sure your friend makes it home safely.” She gave him a curt nod, and began her walk again, this time stumbling on the icy road. 

Nines quickly steadied her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t touch me.” She hissed, jerking away from his touch like it physically hurt her. Nines swiftly removed his hand.

“I am sorry. It won’t happen again.” She looked back up at him, squinting almost angrily up at him.

“Ugh. This stuff is kicking in I think.” She reached a hand out to steady herself on some nearby railing, and paused in her trekking. She leaned over the railing, breathing heavily. 

“Are you going to be sick?” Nines asked, slowly walking up to her as to avoid any more potential conflict.

_ Stress: 98% _

_ Probability of attacking: 5% _

“No.” She half whispered, tightening her grip on the railing. Nines did a quick scan on her, unsure of the sudden spike in stress.

“Let me call us a cab. Then we won’t have to walk home in the cold and snow.” He suggested, immediately scanning the area for potential pick-up points. Remy visibly shuddered, and pushed off from the railing.

“No! No. I don’t need a cab.” Nines extended a hand to her once more.

“Then allow me to help you.” He gave her a soft smile, hoping a show of companionship would help her trust him a little more. He simply needed to make sure she made it home safe. 

She stared at him for a long while and then walked up to him, ignoring his hand and looping her arm through his. 

_ Stress: 97% _

_ Probability of attacking: 0% _

He pulled her closer to him, hoping his warmth would help her be a little more relaxed. He knew some people were still hesitant towards androids, and from the way she acted around him, she was one of them.

“Judging by our rate of walk and the distance to your home, you will have approximately four hours of sleep before you need to wake for work.” She let out a quiet sigh.

“I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, it’s your friendly author here! I just realized how meaty chapter two is, and I may try to break it up into multiple chapters later, but for now it’s staying the way it is. Like my other works, I’m going to try and update once a week, so keep a look out if you’re interested!


	2. Chapter 2

Nines was bored. He had entered a rest state for two hours, but was awoken by Connor prodding his processing.

_ “Brother? Are you awake?”  _ Nines flicked his eyes open, and glanced about the room.

_ “Yes, I'm up. What do you need?”  _ He was currently situated in Remy's living room, sitting on a plush gray sectional sofa, littered with throw pillows. Her apartment was decorated nicely, with a multitude of plants surrounding him. 

Her home smelt faintly of some tropical mixture, one that wasn't entirely too unpleasant. His form was illuminated slightly by some fairy lights flung over a beautiful tapestry hung behind the couch. 

He glanced down in his lap, feeling an odd warmth radiating from him. On him lay a large gray cat, curled up tightly in a ball. 

_ “Did you make it to her apartment safely?”  _ Nines gently petted the cat on his lap, causing it to stretch languidly and yawn, showing off sharp feline teeth.

_ “As safely as we could. She did fall one time. Even with my support. And did her friend make it home safe?”  _ Connor went quiet.

_ “Yes. But ah… I seem to have found myself in a predicament.”  _ Nines assessed Connors tone, finding it to be more embarrassed than fearful.

_ “And what could that be?”  _ Nines felt a sharp stab of shame wash over him, coming from Connor.

_ “She has dogs.”  _ Nines let out a sigh, more mechanical than necessary. 

_ “As long as you have returned home. I don't think we'll be able to explain to Elijah why you stayed the night at someone's home.”  _ Connor remained silent, and Nines sighed.

_ “Connor.”  _ Connor took a little longer to reply.

_ “I'm home, I'm home, but I might have agreed to walk them for her today.”  _ Nines did a quick calculation, and realized Connor wouldn't be with him when he returned his information to Elijah.

_ “As long as you explain to Elijah why you abandoned your post, I don't care.”  _ Nines shut off his communication again, slightly agitated at being woken so quickly. 

_ Time: 6:04 _

_ Items to explore: 10+ _

_ Probability of waking: 12% _

Nines looked down at the cat in his lap, which only snuggled deeper into him. He gently tried to pick the creature up, but it gave a mewl of protest when he placed his hands under its stomach.

_ “It would literally be a crime to move.”  _ He thought to himself, settling in to the couch a little more snugly. He sat like that for about 45 minutes, until the beast decided it was hungry and jumped off his lap, looking up at him with expectant blue eyes.

He stood up quickly before the cat changed its mind, starting his exploration at a bookshelf next to the TV stand. 

It had four shelves, the bottom two shelves littered with multiple books, none he found too interesting to delve into further. On the top shelf was a small planter filled with sword ferns, the lush green leaves beginning to spill over the edge of the shelf.

But what was on the second shelf was what caught his interest. It depicted a picture of Remy, with her arm wrapped around a man's shoulder, smiling brightly into the camera. The man had a more relaxed expression, not entirely smiling, but not frowning either. 

The two were wearing matching beanies, the man's hair hidden beneath the fabric. There was snow in the background, but a blooming cherry tree could be seen in the background. Nines recognized the area to be a place couples commonly visited when the trees were in bloom.

_ Kamski, Elijah _

_ Birth: 07/17/2002 // CEO of CyberLife _

_ Criminal record: None _

Nines wasn't sure how he felt about this. He knew Elijah was tied to her somehow. But this was a new development in his progress in figuring out why Elijah hired him to watch over her.

**_Was/is in a romantic relationship with Elijah Kamski._ **

Nines looked above the TV, where multiple photos hung neatly and precisely above the electronic. Little lights adorned these photos as well, allowing him to view them with little to no effort. 

Most were of her cat, to which he had no name for. He wasn't wearing a collar, but Nines was able to recognize he was a Russian blue. One of the cuter ones involved him staring grumpily at the camera, dressed in a dapper suit. 

But directly in the middle of her cat photos, another photo stood out. It appeared to be a photo taken by a third party, maybe someone who didn't even know them. 

A young man was wiping something off of Remy's face. It appeared to be some sort of sugary confectionery, but the picture was too fuzzy to make out. 

The man had a gentle smile, his clear blue eyes full of nothing but wonderment. His dark hair was tied back in a tight bun. Remy was smiling, her eyes closed in content. But the one item that stood out glaringly was the man's LED.

_ Model JS200 - _

_ House Assistant  _

_ Serial #: 527-658-001-31 _

_ Status: Reported Missing- 2034 _

The android depicted in the picture had been reported missing for five years. Judging from the looks of both of them, they appeared to be close.

**_Had an android whom she was close to._ **

Nines quickly scanned the rest of the living room, but found nothing else of interest. He began his walk towards the kitchen, the cat following him expectantly. 

Her kitchen was kept tidy, counters wiped clean from any debris. A small bowl was kept by the sink, fresh apples and bananas sitting in said bowl. He opened the fridge, scanning for items he could use to prepare her breakfast. 

Her fridge was almost fully stocked, complete with fresh vegetables and fruits, most of them organic. He noticed the items appeared to be on the healthier side, such as almond milk instead of regular milk, and plain Greek yogurt. 

**_Tends to eat healthy foods._ **

He closed the fridge, deciding on making her an egg white omelet with fresh vegetables mixed in. He opened a cabinet to the right of the fridge, scanning its contents as well. 

In there he found multiple items, such as bread and cereal, but also spied multiple sweets, such as oreos and Nutella.

**_Tends to eat healthy foods._ **

**_Tries to eat healthy foods._ **

He opened the cabinet under the sink, his gaze coming to rest on her cats food items. He immediately ran to Nines side, rubbing up roughly against his leg. 

Nines looked down at the cat and then back at the food. He pulled the container out, unable to scan the item as she had removed it from its original packaging. 

He opened the container, much to the cats delight, and placed a piece of the kibble on his tongue.

_ Iams Proactive Health Cat Food _

_ Protein: 41% of daily value _

_ Fat: 17% of daily value _

_ Complete with vitamins necessary for a long and healthy life. _

Nines also noticed quite a few toys underneath, as well as a large container of catnip tucked neatly in the back. 

**_Takes better care of her cat than herself._ **

Nines placed a small cup of his food in a bowl he noticed on the counter, reading the lettering on the side. 

“Drogo.” He called, smiling softly when the cat meowed back at him. Drogo jumped lithely up onto the counter, tucking into his breakfast. Nines gave him a soft brush with his hand, and glanced around the kitchen and living room once more.

She kept her rooms immaculate, blankets folded nicely against the couch and dishes placed in the dishwasher until there was a full load. Her apartment smelt clean, telling him she kept it tidy.

**_Keeps living quarters clean._ **

He moved into the bathroom, hearing the quiet crunch of Drogo as he devoured his breakfast. 

It was decorated in the same fashion as the rest of her home, plant-life sprouting from every corner. He was a little surprised she didn't have more quotes plastered around her home.

He pushed aside the shower curtain, scanning her hair care and other personal effects. It appeared they were more high-end, something that didn't shock him. 

**_Prefers high-end items._ **

He proceeded to open her mirror, not finding much of interest in there. No medications, other than some vitamins that were expired.

**_Not on any medication._ **

He looked around, not finding much else of interest. It was nearing 8 am, about the time he was preparing to wake her.

He quietly exited the restroom, and was greeted by Drogo once more. He let out a content meow, and walked up to Remy's door, looking up at Nines with an odd expression. 

Nines took that as a hint to open the door, and Drogo strolled in, tail held high as he led Nines inside. 

Her room was dark, causing Nines to switch to night-mode to allow himself to see inside. It was kept just as clean as the rest of her home, other than a small pile of laundry in the middle of the room. 

There was a small windowsill that was cluttered with throw pillows and blankets, which was arranged in what appeared to be a nest. He walked over to examine it.

There was nothing inside of it, except for a small bundle of hair from Drogo. Nines assumed she had made it for Drogo, but he seemed entirely uninterested in it. 

Instead, Drogo jumped up onto the bed next to the sleeping form, and pawed expectantly at her blankets. She let out a quiet, sleepy huff, and lifted her arm, allowing access for him to crawl under. 

He immediately crawled under the blankets, circled once, and curled up next to her side. She dropped her arm, and wrapped an arm around her furry companion, pulling her closer to him like he was simply a stuffed animal.

Drogo let out a sigh of satisfaction, and began licking his owners arm, causing her to grumble and softly swat at him. 

The whole scene caused Nines to smile softly, finding it endearing. He saw a short flash of red, and jerked his head to the left, closing his eyes. 

_ “I don't know if I'll ever be able to break that wall.”  _ He thought to himself. He walked over to Remy's side, switching on a small lamp on her bedside. 

“Ms. Young. It is currently 7:58 am. You are to arrive at work at 8:55 am to ensure you have ample time to find your way to your desk and settle in.” She let out a small grumble, and dug deeper into her blankets, dragging Drogo closer.

Nines leaned down towards her, face inches from hers.

“Ms. Young. If you don't wake up I'll be forced to use other actions to get you up.” Her eyes opened to slits filled with pure blue fire.

“Yeah yeah. I didn't think you'd still be here.” She tucked herself deeper into the blankets, tugging them up closer to her chin.

Nines stood. He tilted his head, and grabbed the blanket, yanking it sharply off of her. She let out a yelp, and basically tossed Drogo off the bed, who let out an unappreciative meow.

He gave a her an emotionless grin. “I warned you.” She grumbled unintelligibly, and swung her legs over the bed, rubbing her eyes fiercely. 

“I'm gonna go shower. I told you, you can leave now.” Nines watched as she slowly stood, dragging her feet towards her dresser. She dug through it for a moment, grabbing some articles before walking towards the bathroom.

Nines left her, heading towards the kitchen. Drogo seemed torn between who to follow, but once he heard the shower he nonchalantly followed after Nines, tail swishing softly.

Nines began to quickly prepare her breakfast, starting a pot of coffee for her. It took him about ten minutes to finish everything, and was exasperated when he heard the shower still running. 

He quickly washed his hands of any food remnants, and looked down at Drogo.

“Stay away from that food. If I come back and you're on the counter I'll turn you into a scarf.” Drogo blinked at him, uninterested. He began to clean himself, running a tongue over his paw then swiping it over his ears. 

Nines walked towards the bathroom, and decided to just walk in. He was surprised to find she hadn't locked it, and took that as a sign she wasn't expecting him to walk in.

“Ms. Young, if you continue at this pace you're going to be late.” He saw her form stop moving in the shower, hands held at her head.

“I swear to God, if you don't leave this bathroom right now I'll have you deactivated.” Nines merely chuckled.

“I am actually worth more than this entire apartment complex, so I doubt you could find a way to get me deactivated. But I have prepared you breakfast, and I fear if you aren't out soon, your cat will be enjoying your breakfast.” She went quiet, and Nines watched as she continued her regime, if not a little faster.

He took that as a cue to leave and walked back into the kitchen just as Drogo jumped onto the counter. 

“I warned you.” Nines called out, picking him up and placing him back on the ground. He could have swore the cat let out an angry huff as he placed him down. 

Nines poured a cup of coffee, and placed some creamer on the counter next to it. A few minutes later Remy walked out of the bathroom, her hair down and unbrushed. 

She ran her hands through it, pushing it back as well as she could. She sat down at the counter, looking apprehensively at the plate in front of her.

“You're a detective android right? You know how to cook?” She pushed the omelet around for a moment. Nines leaned against the counter, folding his arms.

“Yes. I am equipped with many basic functions as well.” She took a bite, and looked surprised.

“Huh. I thought the only thing you knew how to do was be a pain in my ass.” Nines smiled.

“That is my main function.” She was quiet while she ate, taking occasional sips of her coffee. She glanced up at him, looking over his light gray shirt.

“You’re filthy.” She examined, eyes focusing on the red stain on his shirt. Nines glanced down, almost forgetting about it.

“Ah. Yes. Some drunkard spilled his drink on me.” Remy stood from her seat, and wandered back to her room. Nines followed shortly after, curious about her intentions. She quietly began rifling through her closet. After a short moment, she pulled out a white button-up shirt, holding it up to him.

“It should fit. And it’s clean.” She unbuttoned it, and handed it to him. Nines stared down at it for a moment, wondering why she had a men’s shirt in her closet. 

“Do you always like wearing men's clothing?” Nines asked, delicately taking the shirt from her. She sighed, and started walking back towards the bathroom.

“What can I say? I'm a boring HR manager by day, drag king by night.” Nines heard the jeering lilt in her voice, alerting him she was teasing him. 

He glanced back down at the shirt, attempting to scan it for any additional information. The only thing he could really ascertain was it was washed a while ago, telling him she had held onto it. 

He glanced over his shoulder at Remy, who was quietly brushing her hair out, staring at herself blankly in the mirror. 

Nines shrugged out of his shirt, placing it on her bed while he changed. He was surprised to find the shirt fit him rather well, if not a little tight on his midsection. He deftly buttoned it up, and tucked it into his pants.

He folded his old shirt, and carried it out with him, placing it on the counter space in the bathroom. He was standing behind Remy, who gave him an odd look when he held his hand out.

“Thank you for the shirt. Brush.” Her gaze looked over him, taking in his figure.

_ Stress: 67% _

_ Probability of attacking: 10% _

“You… Want to brush my hair?” She asked, eyeing him warily. He nodded.

“You seem to be distracted. You're brushing harder than you need to, causing damage to the follicle.” He quickly snatched the brush from her while she was distracted. “I couldn't help but notice you seem to take good care of your hair, but yet you brush it so harshly.” 

He gently tipped her head down, Remy letting out a quiet grumble, but ultimately obliging. The two of them were silent while he worked, softly brushing the tangles from her hair.

“Finished. Would you like me to put it up for you?” He asked, placing the brush down on the counter. She looked at him through the mirror, her expression unreadable.

“Do… You know how to do a dutch braid?” She watched as his LED spun yellow for a moment, looking for that information.

“I do now.” He quickly braided her hair, only tugging to tighten it. Once he was finished, he stepped back, folding his arms behind his back. “Does that look correct?”

Remy had to admit it was better than anything she had ever done. She pulled a few pieces of her bands from the braid, framing her face. She gave him a small smile.

“Thanks.” She turned out of the bathroom, shutting her bedroom door to change. Nines looked at the door she had disappeared behind.

_ “Thanks?”  _ He had never had a human thank him before. He saw another quick flash of red, but shook it off. 

He wandered back into the kitchen, fidgeting with a loose button on his borrowed shirt. He was about to reopen his communication with Connor, when Remy walked back out, dressed in a tight black pencil skirt, sheer leggings, and a light gray jacket, covering a gold v-neck shirt. 

She looked up at him again, and then back down at his shirt.

“You can keep that.” She threw a long black coat over herself, digging through her purse for something.

“Are you sure? This shirt must have some meaning to you if you've kept it for so long.” Remy pulled her keys from her purse, and headed towards the door.

“Yeah. Only way to move forward is to stop looking back, or some mushy crap like that.” She mumbled. Nines opened the door for her, and stepped out after. 

“I suppose. Would you like me to call us a cab?” She visibly flinched, and shook her head.

“No, I prefer walking. It's only a few blocks from here.” Nines inclined his head towards her.

“Of course. Then allow me to escort you.” She shrugged again, and began walking.

“I doubt you'll take no for an answer.” He smiled softly at her. 

“Good assumption.” The two began their walk in silence. The morning was chilly, the fresh snow from last night being blown in little eddies. Nines reopened his communication to Connor, but didn't reach out.

Remy was the one to break the silence. “So… Do you have a name?” She asked, not looking at him. Nines looked down at her, watching the way her lashes cast a long shadow over her cheeks.

“My model number is RK900, serial number 313 248 317-87.” This caused Remy to look up at him.

“Okay, well those are your specifics. I asked for your name.” Nines blinked, and his LED flashed yellow for a moment.

“I go by Nines.” Remy's eyebrows furrowed, a look of confusion spreading across her features.

“That's your name?” Nines held an arm out to steady Remy when she stumbled, and she graciously took it.

“I suppose you humans would call it a nickname. The human I normally reside with shortened it to Nines.” He caught her still giving him a curious look. “I was never given a name. Unlike my predecessor, Connor, my creators thought it would be less likely for me to become a deviant if I didn't have a name.” Remy almost appeared sad for a moment.

“And when the deviants won, you still weren't given one?” Nines shrugged.

“I haven't found much need for one. Nines works just fine.” Remy was quiet for a moment while she thought. “If you wish to call me something else that's your prerogative.” Remy shook her head.

“If that’s what you go by, I guess that’s what I’ll call you.” She went quiet again for a moment, and Nines could tell she was thinking of something, but of what, he was unsure. 

“What is it?” Nines asked, pulling her away from a patch of ice he detected in her path.

“Why did he ask you to find me last night?” Remy asked, staring at her feet. Nines was unsure if this was to keep herself steady, or to avoid his gaze.

“I have been trying to figure that out as well.” Nines replied, watching her face for any sort of reaction. She blinked for a few moments, but looked to her left, away from him. 

“It’s probably nothing. He worries about stupid things.” As they approached CyberLife, Remy gently extricated herself from him, and turned to face him before she entered the building. “Well, thanks for breakfast. And for feeding Drogo. Normally he’s my alarm clock. Seven am sharp everyday.” She turned away from him, then paused.

“Thanks again Nines.” She lifted her head, and squared her shoulders, taking on an impressive business-like demeanor.

Nines smiled as he saw multiple people dodge out of her warpath, giving her polite nods. She ignored most of them, her gaze dark and dangerous.

_ “Wouldn’t want to go to her for any problems.”  _ Nines thought, his smile still prominent on his features.

_ “I agree. She and her friend are dangerous when they’re together.”  _ Nines blinked, hearing Connor finally begin conversation with him again.

_ “Ah, Connor. What time will you meet with Elijah? I’m sure he’d like to hear from both of us.”  _ Connor was silent for a moment, then replied,

_ “I should be at Cyberlife around 10.”  _ Nines sent him a quick confirmation, and strode in after Remy, heading for the top floor. 

Nines lost track of her at the elevator, but she was currently not his objective anymore. He had made sure she made it home safe, and arrived to work in a timely manner. 

At the top floor, he nodded at Chloe, one of Elijah’s personal androids he used for reception. She gave him a polite smile, and gestured behind her.

“Elijah has been waiting for you. He is currently talking with someone, but has told me to allow you to come in whenever you arrive.” Nines nodded, and pushed open the heavy one-way glass. 

The top floor consisted of one massive room, hidden behind glass you could only see through once you were inside. Outside of the room a simple reception desk was there, Chloe keeping track of who goes in and out of the CEO’s room. Inside of the massive office space a large desk was in the middle, near the back windows. 

Directly in front of the desk three plush red couches sat, a perfectly trimmed potted plant sitting in the middle of a dark oak coffee table. A large fireplace was on the left, more decorative than for warmth. The entire right wall of the office was covered floor to ceiling in bookshelves, most of the books written about the inner workings of androids. 

On Elijah’s desk multiple android parts sat dormant, torn apart to be reassembled with better components. Elijah sat behind his desk, focused entirely on a blueprint in front of him.

What surprised Nines was the person standing beside Elijah. Markus was leaning over Elijah’s shoulder, pointing at something on the blueprint.

“She keeps saying something about some error in her functions, but no self-diagnosis can seem to catch it. She’s gone to multiple engineers, but none of them can seem to find anything either.” Elijah nodded, then flicked his gaze up to Nines.

“Good to see you made it back in one piece.” Elijah gave him a faint smile. “I thought for sure she was going to turn one of you into scrap metal.” His smile fell when he realized Nines was alone. “Please for the love of… Where’s Connor?” 

Nines focus was solely on Markus, his teeth clenched. “He’s fine. He walked her friend home last night.” Elijah noticed Nines stare, glancing back and up at Markus. Elijah turned back to Nines, and folded his hands on his desk.

“How is your deviancy going?” Markus asked, noticing the stare as well. Nines shuddered visibly, and turned away from the two of them.

“About as well as you’d expect from the deviant hunter.” Markus gave him a sad smile.

“I’ve told you I can help you Nines. Just let me-” Nines abruptly turned from them and slammed a fist against the wall, just barely containing himself not to break the glass. 

“I can’t Markus. Being in the same room as you is already torture enough. I can’t imagine allowing you to connect with me.” Nines hissed, closing his eyes to push away the red wall that sat tauntingly behind his vision. 

“Well what about Connor?” Elijah asked, standing quietly. Nines shook his head.

“He’s too confusing. I can’t make sense of any of his emotions. One moment he’s happy, then the next he’s worried or upset.” Nines growled, clenching his fist even tighter. “Why anyone would want to have such confusing emotions is beyond me.” He felt Elijah put a hand on his shoulder, and Nines turned to look at him.

Nines saw a vast wisdom behind the dark blue eyes staring at him. “These emotions make us human, Nines. They seem confusing, they seem annoying, but these thoughts are what the androids fought for.” He glanced down at Nines, as though just barely looking at him for the first time. “You don’t have to open yourself to these emotions Nines. This is what it means to have freedom. If you wish to stay a full-blooded android, that’s your choice.” 

Elijah pulled away from Nines, giving him some space. Without turning to them, Nines asked,

“Why her?” He heard Elijah pause in his walk back to his desk.

“Why did I hire two of the most specialized androids to follow around a simple woman like her?” Elijah questioned. Nines didn't respond. Elijah looked towards Markus, and nodded.

“I think we're done for today Markus. Come back tomorrow with some more diagnostics on her. I can't help if I don't know all of the tests they've already ran.” Markus nodded, and walked towards the door, giving Nines one last sad look.

“Most deviants need some push to help them break that wall Nines. You just need to find that thing or person to help you.” Markus didn't wait for him to respond. 

Nines blinked away the red again, and felt himself immediately begin to calm when Markus left. 

“I hate this.” Nines muttered, pushing his hair back in a nervous tick. Elijah watched him with a guarded expression.

“Deviancy isn't easy. Most androids had the help of others. But yet you refuse that help. Markus could easily break that wall for you, yet you refuse. Connor can help you tear it down, yet you refuse. Why?” He asked, his voice cool with anger. 

Elijah watched as Nines LED flashed yellow, then red. “I can't… My programming won't let me.” Elijah waited for his LED to spin back to blue, but it remained red. 

“I can't help you Nines if you refuse help from others.” Nines gave him an almost helpless look.

“But you can. We've talked about-” Elijah slammed his hands down on the table, standing abruptly.

“I will  _ not _ rewrite who you are Nines! You don't even know who you are, yet you want me to change you?” Elijah took a steadying breath. “That would be the easy way out. That would be the route a lesser android would take.” Elijah knew where to strike. 

“I'm not…” Nine started, his LED flickering wildly. 

“I know. I can't help you Nines. Try connecting with Connor more. Allow his emotions to become your own. I have a feeling you two won't have very similar emotions once you figure them out. But it's worth a shot.” Elijah soothed. He glanced past Nines shoulder to some commotion in the hallway.

“Listen. I asked you and Connor to look out for my friend because I couldn't. She needs someone to help her. Just like you need someone to help you.” Elijah knelt down by his desk, rifling through a drawer. He stood, and held something out to Nines. 

It was a little plastic keychain, something easily found in a gas station or grocery store. It was a simple flower, light blue and delicate.

“This is hers. Please return it to her.” Nines heard the command in his tone. 

“Yes Elijah.” Nines responded, almost entirely despondent. As Nines closed his hand around it, Elijah quickly gripped Nines’ own hand.

“It's not going to be easy Nines. But it's something you need to do on your own.” Elijah gently pat the back of his hands, and released them. “Oh, and tell Connor I don't need to see him. You've given me all the information I needed.”


End file.
